Electric clock-synchronizer



(N Model.)

A. G. WISEMAN.

BLEGTRIG CLOCK SYNGHRONIZER.

No. 387,276. Patented Aug. 7, 1888.

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UNITED STATES ARTHUR G. VISEMAN, OF ST. LOUIS, MSSOURL ELECTRIC CLOCKf-SYNCi-lllti les SPECIFLCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 387,276, dated August 7, 1888,

Serial No. 270,907. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it 72mg/ concern-.-

Be it known that l, ARTHUR G. WISEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, in the State otMissouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Clock-Synchronizers, otwhich theiollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in cloclrsynchronizing devices, whereby a current of electricity transmitted from a regulating-clock once every hour or at suitable intervals is caused to automatically regulate or synchronize a clock (or clocks) by bringing the minute-hand exactly to the point of twelve on the dial; and my invention has for its object to provide a simple and inexpensive arrangement which is positive in action and readily applied without disconnecting the clock-work.

It consists in a springlevcr fulcrumcd to the clock to be regulated and having its free end in communication with a suitable electroinagnet, combined with the minntehand toothed wheel having one side conical and provided with a specially-shaped hub carrying a toothed plate for gearing into corresponding teeth or holes in the face ofthe actuating friction-disk ofthe minute-hand spindle and with a spring or springs, the whole operating so that on the depression of the springlever by the electric current the minutehand of the clock is brought exactly to the point ot' twelve on the dial, as hereinafter more particularly described.

On the accompanying drawings', Figure l represents a front elevation, broken away, of myirnproved synchronizerasappliedtoaclock5 Fig. 2, a sectional plan thereof, and Fig. 3 is a modification of the hub on the minute-hand.

Like letters of reference denote like parts in all the figures.

a represents a spring arm or lever, which is arranged longitudinally above the actuatingspindle b of the minute-hand somewhat in front of and parallel with the front plate, c, ofthe clock. The spring-lever a is fulcrumed at d to the front plate, c, and may be adjusted longitudinally in its i'ulcrum d by a set-screw, c, the head of which engages at its periphery in a slot formed on the inside ofthe spring-lever a, or this adjustment of thelatter may be otherwise effected. The free end of the spring-lever a, which extends beyond the spindle D, is subjected to the infiuencc or an adjacent electromagnet, f, by means of the bar or linl; g, depending from the end of lever o and carrying an armature, 7i, or by other suitable means.

rlhe minutehand toothed wheel 'i has its inner side, j, cone-shaped, decreasing outwardly toward the center of the wheel t', where it is formed or provided with a projecting boss or hub, it', which is circular, except where formed with a depression or dat, Z. On the end ofthe boss or hub it' farthest from the wheel is tixed a circular plate, m, on the face oi which are teeth n, arranged atcqual radial distances from the center ot' the plate m and ol" a pitch corresponding with every halt-minute on the clockdial, or in number one hundred and twenty or any other desired pitch, as found mostsuitable. The actuating minutehand spindle I) passes centrally through the toothed wheel i, with its minute'hand tube or sleevei, conica-l surface j, boss or hub 7;, and circular plate in, the teeth n of which normally engage with corresponding teeth, n',on the face ofthe friction-'disk o, which actuates the spindle b and is retained in this position (except when otherwise constrained) by a spring, (or springs) p, attached at one end to the disk o and its free end bearing against the rear side (adjacent to the hub 7;) ot' the circular plate m. rlhe minute-hand is attached to the tube or sleeve t of the wheel t in the usual manner and in such position as to be at right angles with the dat Z on the boss or hub if.

The spring-lever c normally assumes the position indicated by dotted lines in TEig. l, and is at such distance from the front plate, c, of the clock that when the circular plate m is engaged with the friction-disk o the lever c is vertically over the larger conical surface, j, of the minute-hand toothed wheel if. rlhis lever is formed on its under side where facing the conical surface j with a ilat or surface corresponding with the flat Z on the boss or hub 7o.

The various parts being in their normal relative positions, as above described, and the ininute-hand some minutes behind or in advance of the hour when the synchronizing is to be effected, the electric current being transmitted from the regulating-clock to the magnet f attracts the armature h and pulls down the 'LOO spring-lever a, so that the under side of the latter rides over the conical surface j of the wheel z', and thereby constrains the wh eel t' forward along the spindle b, so as to disengage the toothed plate m from the toothed disk o, or into the position shown in Fig. 2, when the wheel z', being free and the spring-lever a striking one end of the dat Z on the boss or hub k, the wheel z' will be thereby partially rotated until its flat Z coincides with and is held by the under side of the lever a, in which position the minute-hand will be exactly at the point of twelve on the dial. On the cessation of the current the spring-lever a will fly back to its original position or clear of the dat Zand cone j, and the spring p will return the plate m, with wheel i, into engagement with the actuatingdisk 0, as before.

lf desired to syhchronize the clock, say, every fteen minutes, the boss or hub 7c (see Fig. 3) of the minute-hand wheel t' is formed on its periphery with four equidistant depressions or concave surfaces, Z, in lieu of a single dat, Z, as described in Figs. l and 2.

If on depression of the springlever a the iieXure thereofthrows thenlinute-handslightly to one side of the point of twelve on the dial, by turning the set-screw e in the direction as required the springlever t may be so adjusted as to compensate for this defect and bring the minute-hand to its correct position.

I claim as my inventionl. In a clock-synchronizing device,the combination of the niinntehand toothed wheel i, having a conical surface,j, and boss or hub k,

formed with one or more dats or depressions, Z, (or Z,) and carrying toothed plate m, for engaging with toothed frictiondisk o, actuating` clock-work, spindle b, with spring arm or lever a, fulcrumed to clock, and spring p, substantially as shown, and for the purpose described.

2. In a clock-synchronizing device,the conibination of the 1ninute-hand toothed Wheel i, havinga conical surface, j, and boss or hub k, formed with one or more flats or depressions, Z,(or Z,) and carrying toothed plate mffor engaging with toothed disk o, actuating clock work spindle b, with spring arm or lever a, fulcrumed adjustably by set-screw e to clock, and spring p, substantially as shown, and for the purposedescribed.

3. In a clock-synchronizing device,thc com bination of the minute-hand toothed wheel fr', having a conical surface,j, and boss or hub 7c, formed with one or more iats or depressions, 1,(01 Z,) and carrying toothed plate m, for engaging with toothed disk o, actuating clockwork spindle b, with spring arin or lever a, fulcrunied to clock and having bar or link g, carrying armature h, magnetsf, and springp,

substantially as shown, and for the purpose 

